AUSTIN, Texas — Interplay Learning, a provider of online skilled trades training, will be the exclusive training content engine and designated learning management system (LMS) for Southern Home Services Corp., a home services provider with more than 25 locations.

The partnership between Interplay and Southern was announced recently. Southern, based in Maitland, Florida, has more than 20 locations, over 10 states, and provides HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and generator service and replacement.

Management at Southern recognized the need for a standardized technical training and development system across its expanding portfolio of companies, and aligned with Interplay to deliver unified training to its more than 750 technicians, a press release from Interplay said. By leveraging Interplay's digital learning platform, technicians at every Southern location will have access to training tools and resources, including three-dimensional simulations and virtual-reality experiences. 

Interplay’s diverse content catalog will ensure that technicians across various skill levels and trades can enhance their knowledge, acquire new skills, and earn essential career-building industry certifications, Interplay said. The platform’s skills-assessment tool will play identify and address technicians' skills gaps, providing targeted learning paths to bridge those gaps. The training program will also assist Southern in improving recruitment, addressing labor shortages, reducing callbacks, and driving revenue growth throughout its extensive network.

“Training equals next month's, next quarter's, and next year's revenue dollars,” said Matt Ellenberg, the training manager at Southern. “This partnership with Interplay is an investment in our technicians' career development and a driver of future revenue.” 

“Interplay is thrilled to work with Southern Home Services in setting a new benchmark for technical education across the trades,” said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay. “We are honored to work alongside them to drive acquisition success and provide their expanding workforce with a centralized system of career-building tools necessary for sustainable growth.”